Hannke stared into the river of lava, his vision blurring slowly in the fuzz of the light. Lava wasn’t just like hot water, he concluded. He could feel its heat coming at him in waves, making the world seem a hazy blur.
He lashed his tail. This was the third time a strange dream had taken over his senses and perplexed him into trying to discover his purpose.
That was where it had all begun, wasn’t it? He was a lonely snake, a coward in a world were cobras had a bad reputation of murdering for pleasure and not just food. He kept to himself and tried to ignore the warning signs that he was becoming more and like the others. The more he leaned towards his mongoose roots, the more he struggled to understand. He wasn’t a mongoose. He wasn’t an egret. He was a cobra, but he wasn’t. What was he? And now he was being tormented by another dream.
Except it wasn’t a dream this time. It was a vision. It had caught him while was awake, and nearly forced him into the lava.
Hannke saw movement in the corner of his eye. Wren. She had finally decided to make herself appear after spending hours playing and laughing and exploring with the firebirds.
“You’re back,” He grumbled dryly.
“Hi, Hannke!” Wren exclaimed, way too cheerfully. “You should have been with me! We had so much fun! I know you think that myzornis are horrible because of Zyx and Astyria, but not all of them are that bad! Uvon-Lyn is great, she and I shared some fish and then raced down the volcano together. She told me all about myzornis life and culture. They don’t have an official leader, but they all respect the elder, Wyvern. She’s rumored to know everything about everything, even magic!”
“Oh yes, and I clearly remember asking you all about it.”
“Hannke, come to think of it, you’re kind of stupid.” Wren said out of the blue.
“You choose now as a time to bring this up!” Hannke bristled, his temper flaring.
“I mean, I guess you’re smart in your knowledge of all sorts of kinds of animals, but you have absolutely no common sense. Where are your cobra instincts? You’re scared of everything, and you always back down from a fight.”
“Wren, you had to!” Hannke gestured at the nearby flying myzornis who were pretending not to listen but were definitely within earshot.
“I’m just saying,” Wren shrugged. “You could seriously try being brave every once and awhile. Considering that when we leave this place we’re going to have to venture through a lot of unknown lands.”
Hannke sighed. “Wren, you are the most aggravating bird ever.”
Wren smiled. “Thanks. Would you like to meet some of the firebirds?”
Hannke gulped. “Are you sure they won’t peck my eyes out the moment they see me?”
“Why should they?” Wren threw an annoyed glare in his direction.
“Astyria and her friend are right. I’m a snake. A predator that likes to eat birds.” Hannke explained.
“So? Panther’s a predator, and they seem fine around him. Plus, I already told Uvon-Lyn all about you, and she wants to meet you!” Wren said in excitement.
“Wren!” Hannke cried in exasperation. “I don’t want anything to do with those birds! They probably hate me!”
“Hannke. Please. Just this and then we can get out of here.” Wren stared at him with beseeching eyes.
“Wren, you've been asking for so many favors,” Hannke complained, then realized how spoiled he sounded. He quickly backtracked. “Okay, okay, fine, we can do it!”
“You’re the best, Hannke,” Wren said, and then took off without warning.
“Wren, wait!” He exclaimed.
“Catch up!” Wren replied gleefully.
Hannke groaned and slithered as fast as he could up the rocks until he was level with her. “Where do we go?” He asked, out of breath.
“HEY, UVON-LYN!” Wren shouted loudly. Hannke winced. “GET OVER HERE! I WANT YOU TO MEET HANNKE!”
“I thought she wanted to meet—” Hannke began, but then a bright colored bird swooped in from above, blinding him.
“Whaddaya want?” She asked, landing on Hannke’s head. She glanced down at him.
“I—um—” Hannke squirmed under her. Really?
“Oh, you’re a snake!” The bird said, hopping off of his head and landing on the rocks.
“Yes, I’m a snake,” Hannke stated hotly. Was she blind? Little birds were so annoying!
“Are snakes always like this?” The bird, who was presumably Uvon-Lyn, questioned. Wren shrugged. “I thought you said that he was a nice one. Oh well. Guess you don’t know him too well.”
Hannke felt anger boiling up inside. This horrible excuse for a bird was getting into his head. She was making him so mad, he wanted too . . . too . . . what?
Honestly, he didn’t know. Tear her apart? No. Throw her into boiling lava? No! Of course not! He wouldn’t touch a single disgusting feather on her if he could help it. He was a gentle, kind loving snake. Or was he? Would one day, the monster inside him—if there was one—be released?
“So, Hannke, meet Uvon-Lyn,” Wren said with a bow. “Uvon-Lyn, meet Hannke.”
“Hi, snake!” Uvon-Lyn exclaimed.
“Hi . . . Uvon-Lyn,” Hannke replied as politely as possible. “How do you do?”
“Like you care,” Uvom-Lyn fluffed her feathers.
“Hey! Be nice!” Wren interjected.
I told you! Hannke mouthed at Wren. Myzornis hate cobras!
Shush! Wren mouthed back. Hannke felt himself crying inside. Why did everyone hate cobras?
“This is a little weird,” Wren said awkwardly. If only you knew! Hannke thought angrily. Wren was living the perfect life of a bird, while he was forgotten in the shadows. A snake was a snake, as myzornis put it. No questions there. That was how it always had been. And deep in his heart, Hannke knew this was not how it would always be.
. . .
Wren splashed into the water, scattering drops of water all over Hannke and scaring all of the fish away. “Drat,” She grumbled, flaring her chest feathers. “Not again. I swear we’re never going to get anything to eat if these fish keep swimming away.”
“You know that that’s your fault,” Hannke said in amusement. “And fish aren’t the only food, you know,”
“I hate to say this, Hannke, but fish are the only thing I can catch, and I don’t expect you to catch anything.”
“True, true.” Hannke admitted, slithering into the warmth of a rock. He knew her statement should have bothered him, but she wasn’t wrong. He didn’t like the taste of blood. And he didn’t like the thought that he had just ended someone’s life.
Wren stepped out of the water and shook her feathers out, getting Hannke wet (again). The two were in a pine forest, with a trickling stream running by, and mossy rocks scattered across the ground. They had left the volcano and were heading for home. Hannke was lying in one of the few pools of sunshine. He was about to fall asleep when a voice came from behind a tree.
“Need help with food? Follow me!”
And a mongoose stepped into the light.
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